2004-25572 ResoRESOLUTION NO. 2004-25572
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO ALLOCATE $176,238 FROM THE RESORT TAX IN
ORDER TO CONTINUE THE ENHANCED LEVELS OF HOMELESS
SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH'S HOMELESS
POPULATION BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF HOMELESS COORDINATION.
WHEREAS, homelessness is one of the most pressing social issues for a
community; and
WHEREAS, homelessness has several underlying issues including shelter, support
services, personal identification documentation, and family reunification; and
WHEREAS, the City has made a concerted effort to address homelessness in a
manner that is consistent with national and local policy initiatives as well as within
presiding case law; and
WHEREAS, the chronically homeless are one of the most difficult populations to
serve and require a significant investment in staff time to adequately engage; and
WHEREAS, there is a necessity of providing emergency shelter beds and case
management services to Miami Beach homeless individuals aS a means of ending their
homelessness; and
WHEREAS, current resources are insufficient to adequately address the growing
needs among the homeless within our community; and
WHEREAS, additional funds are needed to provide enhanced levels of staffing,
outreach, shelter placement, relocation assistance and the replacement of identification
documents; and
WHEREAS, homelessness can have a detrimental impact on business and tourism;
and
WHEREAS, Resort Tax funding is being used to prevent the negative impact
homelessness may have on our community's businesses and tourism industry.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission of the City of Miami Beach, Florida, hereby authorize the City Manager to
allocate $176,238 from the Resort Tax in order to continue the enhanced levels of
homeless services provided to the City of Miami Beach's homeless population by the
Neighborhood Services Department, Office of Home~Coordination./~
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 26 ._day'~of ~ /'May// ,2004.
. / / v ~,.,-~ MAYOR
Robert Parcher
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
& FOR EXECUTION
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY
Condensed Title:
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach authorizing the City Manager to
allocate $176,238 from the Resort Tax in order to continue the enhanced levels of homeless services
provided to the City of Miami Beach's homeless population by the Neighborhood Services Department,
Office of Homeless Coordination.
Issue:
Shall the Mayor and City Commission of the City of Miami Beach allocate $176,238 from the Resort Tax in
order to continue the enhanced levels of homeless services.
Item Summary/Recommendation:
The Neighborhood Services Department, Office of Homeless Coordination provides prevention and
homeless services to homeless individuals in Miami Beach. The department's goal is to transition Miami
Beach homeless individuals from a life of homelessness, mental illness and addiction to one of self-
sufficiency and/or supportive housing. At the March 15, 2004 Finance and City-wide Committee meeting,
the Administration presented a report on the initial $150,000 allocated by the Commission to enhance
homeless services. Through the enhanced funding, the City was able to expand existing services such as
shelter placements, outreach, case management and implement a new component, relocation services,
which reunite families. The additional funding produced tangible results such as a reduction in the number
of homeless individuals living in Miami Beach. The census resulted in a homeless count of 259 which
reflects a decrease from 304 in December 2003 and 384 in April 2003.
From October 2003, to April 2003, the City has expended $283,342 providing expanded homeless
services. The projected amount to continue the current levels of services is $269,840 bringing the total
annual cost of program to $553,182. Of the $269,540 to complete the fiscal year, the City has $93,602 in
available funds, necessitating a supplemental appropriation of $176,238.
Advisory Board Recommendation:
Financial Information-
City Clerk's Office Legislative Tracking:
IVivian P. Guzman, Director, Neighborhood Services Department
Sign-Offs:
AGENDA ITEM ~ '~',~---
DATE
To:
From:
Subject:
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Date: May 26, 2004
Jorge M. Gonzalez ~ ---'""
City Manager ~ ~
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE
$176,238 FROM THE RESORT TAX IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THE
ENHANCED LEVELS OF HOMELESS SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH'S HOMELESS POPULATION BY THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF HOMELESS
COORDINATION.
ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution.
ANALYSIS
The Neighborhood Services Department, Office of Homeless Coordination provides
prevention and homeless services to homeless individuals in Miami Beach. The
department's goal is to transition Miami Beach homeless individuals from a life of
homelessness, mental illness and addiction to one of self-sufficiency and/or supportive
housing. The Office works closely with community-based organizations and the Miami-
Dade County Homeless Trust in order to participate in the Continuum of Care. The current
services provided by the Office are:
Intake and assessment- This enables staff to determine what services are needed and
what placement is appropriate to the client.
Outreach services - The Office conducts outreach missions at least twice per week
throughout the City to locate and assist homeless individuals who may not otherwise
access services.
Shelter placement- In reference to the shelter beds and based on the Commission's
recommendation for additional funding, the City will have a total of 46 beds, 41 shelter
beds and 5 treatment beds. There are two new providers, Miami Rescue Mission and
Better Way of Miami, Inc., that are or will be contracting with the City. Based on the
number of individuals requesting shelter beds and individuals abandoning the program, the
City believes that 46 beds will be sufficient to meet the current shelter needs of the
homeless population. Additionally, it should be noted that the City still has access to Miami
Dade County Homeless Trust funded beds as well as other providers such as Camillus
House. Therefore, unless there is a significant increase in our homeless population and/or
significant increase in the number of homeless individuals requesting assistance, the City
is recommending 46 beds. The average length of stay for clients at Salvation Army and
Miami Rescue Mission has fluctuated between 9 days, since October 2003, to an average
of 20 days for the month of March 2004. The longer the clients stay in the shelter beds, the
greater the probability of completing the program. Any additional beds required in order to
comply with case law would result in a "revolving door" with the homeless staying only one
or two nights and returning to the streets of Miami Beach. This would not be beneficial to
the program and would not be cost effective to the City.
Referral services - This service enables staff to connect homeless clients with
community-based services such as job placement, legal and medical services, counseling
and government entitlements.
Relocation services - Homeless clients are often stranded in our City after failed
employment opportunities and/or family break-ups. The office provides one-way bus
transportation to those clients who have someone at their destination who is willing to
provide assistance. One of the most successful aspects of the homeless program is the
relocation services offered to Miami Beach homeless. As of October 2003, a total of 185
homeless individuals have been served through the relocation services. Although we have
reunited 185 homeless individuals with family, the constant influx of "new" homeless
continues to makes outreach a challenge and affect our homeless census.
Storage services - For those clients who have possessions and have accepted shelter
placement, the office provides storage of their personal effects for the duration of their
services.
Homeless prevention services - The Office provides emergency rent assistance to
families and individuals at risk of homelessness due to eviction proceedings.
During the April 6, 2004, Finance and Citywide Projects Committee meeting, several of the
committee members raised issues regarding the funding request and the services provided
by the Office of Homeless Coordination including additional providers, shelter beds and a
comparison between last year's homeless efforts and the efforts with increased funding.
Currently, the City's homeless program is modeled after the Continuum of Care which has
been nationally recognized as a best practice and award winning program. At present,
there are no new or additional services being developed nationally that the City can
undertake to minimize the incidence of homelessness or reduce the number of homeless
on the streets. The long-term strategy currently being developed nationally and by
neighboring municipalities is permanent affordable and/or supportive housing. Due to
economic factors, this strategy may not be viable for the City of Miami Beach. However, all
other available homeless services and strategies are embraced in the City's homeless
program.
The Committee members also requested a comparison of the contacts and placements
during FY 02-03 and during the period of increased funding and level of services. The
following table captures data for the same amount of time, six months, in 2003 and 2004.
As the Commission reviews the information, please note the significant increase in both
placements and contacts. The significant increase is due to the City's ability to hire
additional staff and increase services to the homeless.
Placements Contacts
Apr'03 32 179
May'03 43 144
Jun'03 41 133
Jul'03 19 75
Aug'03 36 240
Se t'03 78 197
Placements Contacts
Oct'03 55 304
Nov'03 36 413
Dec'03 75 414
Jan'04 58 421
Feb'04 27 294
Mar'04 57 304
Increase 23.69%~ 122.11%~
Through case management efforts, staff transitions an average of 4 people per month to
transitional or permanent housing thereby further reducing the cycle of homelessness. This
process includes obtaining legal identification and work documents as well as securing
entitlements, intervention, health and legal assistance and job placement. As part of this
effort, the City integrates community-based resources and providers as well as attempts to
engage the family of those affected by homelessness.
The attached budget summary is updated from the one submitted to the Finance and
Citywide Projects Committee. The summary illustrates all available funding resources and
the current projection for funds to complete the year. Of the $269,840 needed to sustain
the current service level, a supplemented appropriation of $176,238 is required.
Homeless Census
The homeless census was conducted between April 15th and April 16th, 2004. In
conjunction with the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, Miami Beach Police,
Neighborhood Services Department staff and volunteers from provider agencies
throughout the county, the City participated in the county-wide homeless census. The
census, involving six field teams, resulted in a homeless count of 259 for the City. The final
count of 259 reflects a decrease from 304 in December 2003 and 384 in April 2003.
Conclusion
The Administration has made a concerted effort to address the issue of homelessness in a
manner that is consistent with national and local policy initiatives as well as within the
confines of case law. The issue of addressing the chronically homeless population, which
constituted a large percentage of Miami Beach homeless, continues to make outreach and
placement a challenge for the Administration. The chronically homeless are the most
difficult population to serve. Although every effort is made to engage these individuals, it is
an intensive process that requires multiple interactions. At this level, success is measured
by merely engaging someone in a conversation. Furthermore, due to the constant influx of
homeless arriving in Miami Beach, it is highly improbable that the Administration will ever
engage and serve every homeless individual in Miami Beach. As is evidenced by other
cities, homelessness continues to be one of the most pressing social issues for a
community. At this point in time, the City is managing its homeless population, not solving
the homeless crisis. It would be an unrealistic expectation that additional funding will
eradicate homelessness due to the constant influx of homeless as well as the rate of
recidivism with the homeless population and other socio-economic issues. Until new
national or regional initiatives are developed and implemented, the City's efforts at
outreach, assessment and placement will help to maintain a better balance within our
homeless population.
The additional funds will allow the City to continue providing enhanced levels of staffing,
outreach, shelter placement, relocation and identification. The attached budget will provide
a breakdown of the funds expended as well as the funding request needed to maintain
current levels until the end of Fiscal Year 03-04. The Administration is not requesting
funding beyond this level because it may not necessarily produce additional or better
results. After the end of this new funding cycle, the Administration will prepare a report for
the Commission with the outcomes achieved and again approach the Commission for
additional funding.
It is recommended that the Mayor and Commissioners authorize the City Manager to
allocate $176,238 from the Resort Tax to continue the enhanced level of homeless
services provided by the Office of Homeless Coordination.
Attachments
JMG/RCMNPG
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City of Miami Beach
Neighborhood Services Department
Office of Homeless Coordination
Homeless Services:
A Progress Report on Homeless Outreach Efforts
October 2003 - January 2004
Prepared for the Finance Committee, February 2004
Index
II.
III.
Vo
Report Item
Office of Homeless Coordination Overview
a. Services provided
b. Funding sources
c. Reporting requirements
Service Report Overview
a. Number of clients contacted/demographic summary
b. Shelter services
c. Permanent Housing
d. Relocation services
e. Meal services
f. Transportation services
g. Support services
Staffing Report
a. Staff levels - contractors/interns
b. Staffing requirements
i. Intake
ii. Relocations
iii.Shelter placements
iv. Identification
v. Entitlements applications
Financial Report
a. Shelter costs
b. Relocation costs
c. Storage costs
d. Transportation costs
e. Identification & Support Services costs
f. Staffing costs
Progress Evaluation
a. Process/accountability
b. Customer service
c. Staffing
d. Shelter services
e. Relocation services
f. Additional Infrastructure costs
g. Expense Summary
Page
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I. Office of Homeless Coordination Overview
Services Provided
The Office of Homeless Coordination provides prevention and intervention services to homeless individuals
in the City of Miami Beach. Homelessness is defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development as a person meeting one of the following criteria:
® Living in a place not meant for human habitation, i.e. street, car, parks, abandoned building, bus
station, etc.
® Living in an emergency shelter
. Living in transitional or supportive housing (for people coming from the streets or shelter)
® Living in either a place not meant for human habitation, an emergency shelter, or transitional or
supportive housing, but currently in a hospital or institution on a short-term (30 days or less)
® Being evicted within a week from a private dwelling (and have a certified, legally-binding eviction
notice) and have no subsequent residence identified and no resources and support networks to obtain
housing.
® Being discharged within a week from an institution (prison, hospital, foster care, etc.) having
stayed long-term (31 or more days) and housing is not being provided as part of the person's discharge
planning and have no subsequent residence identified and no resources and support networks to obtain
housing.
® Victim of domestic abuse and no subsequent residence has been defined and no resources and
support networks to obtain housing.
Our goal is to end homelessness in our City through collaboration with community-based providers and
utilizing the Continuum of Care framework as a means to access services and permanent housing for
homeless individuals.
The Office provides the following service to homeless individuals:
® Intake and assessment - This enables staff to determine what services are needed and what
placement is appropriate to the client.
® Outreach services - The Office conducts outreach missions at least twice per week throughout the
City to locate and assist homeless individuals who may not otherwise access services.
® Shelter placement- The City currently contracts with The Salvation Army and Miami Rescue
Mission for shelter beds. The City is currently negotiating to acquire addiction treatment beds from Better
Way of Miami, Inc. In addition, when the client is eligible and space is available, the Office facilitates
placements at the Miami-Dade County Homeless Assistance Centers (Miami and Homestead), Camillus
House and Beckham Hall. When eligible, clients are referred for transitional housing through providers such
as Carrfour Supportive Housing.
® Referral services- This service enables staff to connect homeless clients with community-based
services such as job placement, legal and medical services, counseling and entitlements (such as food
stamps, Medicaid, disability payments, etc.).
® Identification services - Homeless clients often lack identification which enables them to access
services. The Office assists in obtaining birth certificates, Social Security cards, immigration documents,
work permits and Florida identification cards.
~ Relocation services - Homeless clients are often stranded in our City after failed employment
opportunities, family break-ups or unexpected lay-offs. Our Office provides one-way bus transportation to
those clients who have someone at their destination who is willing to provide assistance. In order to ensure
that clients can sustain these trips, the Office provides meals for the duration of their travel.
~ Storage services - For those clients who have possessions and have accepted shelter placement,
the Office provides storage of their personal effects for the duration of their services.
. Homeless prevention services - The Office provides emergency rent assistance to families and
individuals at risk ofhomelessness due to eviction proceedings. Through emergency shelter grant funds, the
Office has provided rent and deposit assistance as well as relocation assistance. Through this initiative,
individuals and families are served prior to becoming homeless.
Funding Sources
The Office of Homeless Coordination currently has several funding sources including:
. City of Miami Beach General Fund- $58,725
® Community Development Block Grant Funds - $100,568
® Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust - $71,193
® Special Allocation/Resort Tax Funds - $150,000
City of Miami Beach General Fund - The funds allocated provide for one full-time position (Program
Coordinator) and general office expenses such as telephone and office supplies.
Community Development Block Grant Funds- These funds are divided into two functions: 1) Emergency/Transitional Housing- ($71,968)- These funds help pay for shelter services.
2) Emergency Rent Assistance - ($28,600) - These funds provide emergency rent assistance to
those facing eviction or transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing.
Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust- These grant funds, scheduled to end June 2004, provide funding for
two contracted outreach workers and partial funding for an intake specialist.
Special Allocation/Resort Tax Funds - These funds have been used to provide:
1) Augmented staffing (2 additional outreach/intake workers)
2) Additional shelter beds (19 in September 2003 to 41 in October 2003)
3) Relocation services (via Greyhound Bus Lines)
4) Food (for clients being relocated)
5) Storage services (for clients accepting shelter services)
6) Transportation tokens (enabling clients to seek work or attend medical/legal/entitlement
appointments)
7) Identification services (Florida identification and copies of birth certificates and immigration
documents)
Reporting Requirements
The Office of Homeless Coordination provides monthly financial and service reports to the Miami-Dade
County Homeless Trust and the City of Miami Beach Office of Housing and Economic Development as a
condition of receiving grant funds.
II. Service Report Overview
Number of clients contacted
The Office of Homeless Coordination tracks the number of people it serves through client contacts. Client
contacts are those exchanges between staff and clients in which either the offer of services or actual services
are being provided. The following chart documents client contacts since May 2003.
Month # of Contacts
June 2003 397
_ _ J_u_ I_Y_ _._20_ _0_3_ .................................................................... _2_8_3 ........................
.Au~st..200} 240
October 2003 304
November 2003 413
December 2003
The self-reported reasons for homelessness include: loss of employment, unexpected illness, family
problems and addiction.
Shelter services
The Office of Homeless Coordination provides emergency shelter for homeless clients accepting services as
well as those referred by Miami Beach Police. Shelter placements are the first step in enabling the process of
client stabilization. During this time, clients are assessed and the process of establishing a service plan
towards permanent housing commences through joint effort between the client, Office and shelter. Typically,
this process will include:
* Ensuring clients have appropriate identification and work documents
* Applying for appropriate entitlements (disability, Medicaid, etc.)
* Medical screening (including tuberculosis test)
* Search and obtainment of employment
* Access to support services (counseling, Alcoholics Anonymous, etc.)
The following chart documents shelter placements since May 2003. It is important to note that additional
funds enabling the acquisition of additional shelter beds were made available in September 2003 and were
sustained throughout the remainder of the calendar year with the infusion of Resort Tax dollars.
:' Month # of Placements
May 2003 43
June 2003
August 2003 36
i S_eptember 2003 79
i---6~,-i~-e~'566-~ ~-~-~ ..............................
i
November 2003 36*
; December 2003 70*
:: Janu~ 2004 58*
* Represents non-duplicatedplacements of individuals in shelter. In thepast, clients may have been placed more than once within a month if
they voluntarily left shelter. Clients are now only placed once and provided with support services to ensure success. Clients voluntarily
withdrawing from shelter terminate their rights to additional City services.
With enhanced reporting procedures and additional staff, the Office has been able to track placements by
gender since October 2003. A review of these statistics identifies the typical homeless person accessing
shelter services in our City as male. In general, 31 percent of all shelter placements stay at least seven days.
The vast majority of placements remain in shelter for less than seven days either because of voluntary
withdrawal or failure to comply to shelter rules.
Placements Placements
iOctober 2003 39 (71%) 16 (29°/6)
December 2003 ~, 55 (79°/6) 15 (21 ¼)
It is important to note that all placements documented since October 2003 are not duplicated. Since the
establishment of case management procedures and adherence to service rules by the United States
Department of Housing & Urban Development, no client has withdrawn from shelter and subsequently
requested a repeat placement.
The Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust considers shelter placements of seven or more days to be a
standard in measuring success. While the City is home to many chronically homeless individuals, the Office
has significantly increased the number of shelter placements greater than seven days and thereby eliminating
the revolving door to shelter for many homeless. Since April 2003, 31.03 percent of all placements have
been for seven or more days. The following depicts new placements (those newly placed within the reporting
month) that stayed in shelter seven or more days:
October 2003 26
November 2003 12
December 2003 16
o
........................................................................ _.t.8 ..................................
Permanent Housing
The ultimate measure of ending homelessness is ensuring that previously homeless clients access and
maintain permanent housing. Through concerted case management efforts that support and guide a client
through the Continuum of Care, the Office has successfully placed 14 people in permanent housing since
October 2003. The following is a breakdown of successful permanent housing placements that represent the
end ofhomelessness for these clients.
Month # of Placements
:
October 2003 2
November 2003 4
!'""~'~'~i~'"~'iJ03 3
It is important to note that many of those placed in permanent housing since October 2003 are the most
difficult to serve: homeless persons with mental health issues.
Relocation Services
The Office of Homeless Assistance has provided relocation services to homeless clients since October 16,
2003. In order to receive relocation assistance, clients must provide a contact at their destination that vouches
for the client. This contact is then verified via telephone prior to purchasing a Greyhound Bus Line ticket.
Once the bus ticket has been purchased, the client is provided with sufficient meals to cover the duration of
his/her travel and then transported to the bus depot by Office staff. The following summary of relocations
provided by month and gender demonstrates that males represent a disproportionate share of relocations
provided.
November 2003 5.~.(i.2~0) ..~
D~;mber''20'03
.i'i'.'Ji~.~15166~ii.i)'iii'iiiiii.ii.i' i"-i'~ i."'ii'iii'iiii
Meal Services
Meals are provided to those clients being relocated out of town. Each relocated client receives sufficient
meals to cover the duration of his/her travel. Since October 16, 2003 when relocation services began, 154
clients were provided with 766 meals. An average of 4.9 meals were provided to each client served through
relocation services.
Transportation Services
In order to seek employment or apply for entitlements or seek assistance from community-based providers,
homeless clients are often provided with Miami-Dade County Transit Authority tokens that enable them to
access public transportation. The Office has distributed 499 tokens to 104 clients since October 16, 2003.
Support Services
Homeless clients have unique needs that create a barrier to accessing services to end homelessness. The first
of these is the absence of natural support networks. The second is the marginalization within society that is
derived from isolation, lack of identification, and deprivation of human needs.
Homeless clients have a variety of basic needs: shelter, food, clothing, access to medical and mental health
care, and employment among others. Through an integrated referral network, the Office of Homeless
Coordination refers homeless clients to community-based providers to access needed services. Among the
network of providers are: Miami Beach Community Health Center, Jewish Community Services, Legal
Services of Greater Miami, Ayuda, Miami Beach Hispanic Community Center, Social Security
Administration, Miami Beach Community Development Corporation and the Florida Department of
Children and Families.
The following is a summary of formal referrals made on behalf of homeless clients since October 2003'
Month # of Referrals
October 2003 37
November 2003 42
December 2003 38
:
. _ _J__.a!~_.U_ ~..27..0..4.. ................................ !~9
In addition to agency referrals, the Office of Homeless Coordination provides case management services to
all clients accepting shelter placement. With this effort, clients are guided through the Continuum of Care to
ensure that they stabilize, receive medical, legal and mental health assessments, seek employment and/or
entitlements, and have a personal strategy to end their homelessness and gain permanent housing.
The following chart depicts the case management loads for the Office of Homeless Coordination:
Month Client Caseload
November 2003 i 75
.............................................December 2003 ~ .................. ¥1-:~ ...........................
_._J_..a!~. _._u. ~ . .2. 0_ .0_ .4_ ................................................ ;~ ............................... ._8__8_ ......................................
IlL Staffing Report
Staff Levels
The Office of Homeless Coordination has one full-time City employee and contracts additional staff. The
Office of Homeless Coordination is manned by the following:
i #..r..P0siti0n. Tifie ......................................................................................................... Primary.~ncti0n ................................................................ ,, ............................... Funding. Source .....
~, .~, ~_ _r_ _ .Pr_°_~__a~___C_°_°__r _d~_a~_°.r_ ............ _D_ _a_Y_-_t_o_-_d_ _a _Y__P_r_o_ _gr__a¢_ _ _m_ _~_a_g_ _e~_ _ _m_ t_ .......................... _G_ ~e_r_ _al_ _F_~_d_
1 -Intake Specialist Maintains client data and generates reports to Miami- Miami-Dade County Homeless
Dade County Trust Trust/Resort Tax
2'2'0iitr'ea~h'~i~k~r~ 6i~eh~i~'"~d'~0i~'h0~eie~s"~ilmts Mi~2'o~e Q0un¢ H0melesS~
~ i !Trust
Since the flow of those seeking services often peaks unexpectedly, staff from other divisions has been
diverted when necessary to ensure that all clients seeking assistance are processed in a timely manner. The
following staff provides assistance to the Office of Homeless Coordination when demand requires it:
~ 1 - Intake Specialist (100%) Intake of homeless clients Office of Children's Affairs/
~ General Fund
i 1 - Outreach Worker (20°/3) Outreach and intake of homeless clients Office of Children's Affairs/
' General Fund
In addition to paid staff, the Office has entered into a partnership with various secondary education
institutions to have non-paid interns. While those placements from Miami-Dade Community College and
Florida International University have negligible long-term impact because of the short duration of their stay
(typically eight hours), the interns from Barry University's School of Social Work provide a consistent and
significant presence.
Thc purchasing, contract management and payroll functions for the Office of Homeless Coordination arc
provided by thc Office of Children's Affairs.
Staffing Requirements
The provision of services to homeless clients is time-consuming. In addition to the time spent on outreach,
homeless clients face a set of challenges that can range from lack of identification and unemployment to
mental health issues and addiction. As such, they tend to require more staff time than clients served through
other divisions. In many cases, services are contingent upon the availability of the services provider (i.e.,
Department of Motor Vehicles, Social Security Administration, etc.).
The following chart documents the average length of time spent on each service provided by client:
Service Provided/Frequency # of Staff Needed Average Length of Time
Intake & assessment/Once- 1 1.5 hours
Re10c afi0n ~assistance/~c'e 2 2
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
She!t~.p!agment/..~.e 2 2.0 hours
Identification services (w/appointment @ 2
Entitlements application (w/ 2 2.0 hours
app0intment)!..m~e
Case management/Weekly 1 0.50 hours
IV. Financial Report
Shelter Costs
The City contracts with two providers for emergency shelter services: The Salvation Army and Miami
Rescue Mission. Clients placed with these providers must sign a form acknowledging the rules and
conditions for their shelter. Emergency shelter placements typically range in duration from one night to up to
six months, depending on the client's stability and availability of transitional housing. Shelters typically
provide clothing, three meals a day and needed toiletries. Case management is a separate service which
typically doubles the daily bed cost. We currently do not contract for case management services for our
shelter beds.
Currently, the City pays a guaranteed rate of $15.00 per bed, per night at the Miami Rescue Mission. These
are beds exclusively for homeless males. The Miami Rescue Mission accepts placements from 7am until
5pm. Our current capacity is 10 beds. Typically, we utilize these beds for Police Department referrals and
males beginning services with the Office. The monthly cost for the Miami Rescue Mission is $4,500.
The City contracts with The Salvation Army at a guaranteed rate of $15.45 per bed, per night. These beds
can be managed for males, females and families. The Salvation Army accepts placements 24 hours per day.
Our current capacity (when the ratios are maximized) is 31 beds. Typically, we utilize The Salvation Army
for female and family placements as well as those males that have been stabilized and are progressing who
9
had been originally placed at the Miami Rescue Mission. Our monthly cost for The Salvation Army is
$14,369.
The total monthly cost for 41 beds is $18,869.
Relocation Costs
Since October 16, 2003, we have provided 154 homeless clients with relocation services. Thus far, the Office
has documented only five relocation returnees (less than 3.2 percent). The following is a summary of the top
six cities to where clients have been relocated representing 27 percent of all relocations.
............................................. City .................................................... #.of.Re!.ocafions ........................
....... ?hi!~e!phh?A
_ ~_e_ _w_ _v_ ~_r [ _ _o_t_y_,__ ~$ y~ ................................... _7_ .....................
Orlando, FL 6
.............................................................................................................................................
...... ~s~.~ge!es,...CA 6
The following is a summary of the top five states to where clients have been relocated representing 44
percent of all relocations.
State It of Relocations
Florida 23
California 13
New York 13
Our City's warm client, plentiful tourist supply and abundant restaurants and hotels make it a desirable place
for the homeless. Conditions in our City make it easier for homeless individuals to survive because of our
geographical location (the warm South) and community assets (tourists that can be panhandles, garbage
dumpsters with plentiful food, and sandy beaches to sleep).
The City's cost since October 16, 2003 to provide relocation services has been $16,065.50 or an average of
$104.32 per client.
In addition to providing the bus ticket for relocation, the Office provides clients with sufficient meals to
cover the duration of their travel. Since October 16, 2003, the Office has provided 766 meals to 154 clients at
a cost of $1,333.44 or $8.65 per client.
Storage Costs
The cost of maintaining a storage space for the possessions of homeless clients placed in shelter is $118.35
per month.
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Transportation Costs
Through thorough intake and case management processes, the Office has actively sought to reduce the costs
associated with transportation tokens by encouraging clients to apply for county assistance. From October
through December 2003, the Office has distributed 422 tokens to 90 clients. Here is a breakdown of this
distribution:
Montli .................................. i ........... #'~0f'~iieni~'Pr~vided'T0kens ......... ' #"0f'~0k~ns'Distfibuted ........... :
........................................October 2003 ~ ......................................... 33 i ..................... -1-~- .................... ~
November 2003 ~ 44 ! 232 i
...................................................................December 2003 i .............................................................................. 13' i ....................................... ~.'6;~- .................................... ~!
* Token supplies were depleted and could not befilled in a timely manner.
While tokens typically cost $1.00 each, we have not expended any funds for tokens since October 2003.
However, we do anticipate the likelihood of purchasing monthly bus passes for employed clients seeking
transition to permanent housing.
Identification and Support Service Costs
Many homeless clients lack identification and necessary legal documents to access sheker, employment or
entitlements. Emergency shelters will not accept anyone for placement without valid photo identification.
Furthermore, without appropriate documentation and support documents, homeless individuals cannot apply
for entitlements or other community-based assistance.
Since October 16, 2003, the Office has assisted 24 homeless clients in obtaining birth certificates, photo
identification, work permits and travel documents (passports/visas) at a cost of $441.99.
Staffing Costs
The Office has expended $25,003.26 to hire additional contracted staff to assist with the increase in demand
for relocation assistance and shelter placement. As a result, the City has established two, full-time outreach
teams to enable the simultaneous services of outreach, shelter placement and relocation while maintaining
full office hours for walk-in clients seeking assistance. The increase of more than 2,480 man-hours enabled
the office to process more clients more quickly and deterred the refusal of services.
V. Progress Evaluation
Process & Accountability
Since September 2003, the Office of Homeless Coordination has streamlined the intake and placement
procedures while establishing methods of accountability throughout all aspects of its operations. Complete
client histories are now maintained which include:
* Completed intake forms
* Copies of identification
* Services history
* Longitudinal case notes
* Service plan
In anticipation of the eventual implementation of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust's Homeless
Management Information System, the Office has established a database documenting all contacts, shelter
placements, relocations and services provided.
The Homeless Census of April 2003 identified 384 homeless persons in our City. The Homeless Census of
December 2003 (conducted immediately after the FTAA) showed a significant decline to only 304 homeless
persons. (It is important to note that at least five homeless persons were counted twice but the census pages
had been certified when the error was noted). Therefore, since the implementation of the additional outreach
and service efforts, the City has experienced a 21 percent reduction in its homeless population. It is important
to note that this reduction is being experienced during the winter - the peak time for homelessness in our
City.
Customer Service
Ensuring that all clients receive services in an effective, accountable and professional manner, the Office has
focused efforts on improving service delivery from the clients' viewpoints. We have established fixed office
hours, established dates and times for specific services and improved our response time to calls received via
the Homeless Hotline.
We now distribute Client Satisfaction Surveys to all clients served in order to gauge our effectiveness and
customer service. The Office forwards these surveys to the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust as a means
of reporting service quality among outreach service providers. Our customer service ratings have
consistently exceeded 60.0 (on a 66.0 scale) since June 2003.
Staffing
While the General Fund supports one full-time position, the Office of Homeless Coordination has had a
staffing level of three workers since October 2002 funded by grants. Its grant with the Miami-Dade County
Homeless Trust requires a minimum staffing level of four people (including the City-funded position).
In October 2003, with the infusion of additional funds allocated through the Resort Tax, additional staff
members were contracted to adequately process the influx of homeless persons seeking relocation assistance
and shelter services. At one point in November 2003, the Office had six contracted staffers to meet the
burgeoning requests for services in addition to 1.5 staffers on loan from the Office of Children's Affairs.
Because of the inherent turnover rate in the field and the contracted nature of our staff, we have had some
difficulty in sustaining consistent staffing levels. As of January 1, 2004, the Office has service agreements
with five contractors to provide outreach and intake services. The contractors' rates vary from $9.81 to
$15.00 per hour depending on the scope of services provided.
It is necessary that a total staff of five people be retained to maintain existing service levels at a cost of
$66,560 for the remainder of the fiscal year.
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Shelter Services
There are several issues associated with the provision of shelter services. Among these:
* Having beds available for those voluntarily seeking shelter (males, females and families)
* Having beds available for those who would otherwise be arrested for life-sustaining activities
* Managing available beds to minimize the number of unused, vacant beds while considering the
need for police-referred beds
The Office has sought to maximize its bed inventory by actively using case management to effectively and
efficiently move people through the Continuum of Care to appropriate transitional or permanent housing.
The Office has used the beds at Miami Rescue Mission to serve males accessing services for the first time as
well as maintain bed vacancies enabling the Police Department to make bona fide offers of shelter in
exchange for not arresting those guilty of life-sustaining offenses, i.e. sleeping in parks, impeding the public
right-of-way, etc. The beds at The Salvation Army have been used to house females and families and those
male clients who have shown progress while at the Miami Rescue Mission.
Based on service levels and clearance rates for the past three months, it is recommended that the City
maintain existing bed levels (41) and to add five (5) addiction treatment beds. The addition of treatment beds
will enable the Office to address the needs of those homeless persons whose addictions pose an obstacle to
ending homelessness. Better Way of Miami, Inc. is available to provide treatment beds at a cost of $40 per
day, per bed. Unlike traditional emergency shelter beds, three of these treatment beds do not have to be
guaranteed meaning that the City would pay only when the bed is filled.
The amount necessary for the provision of 46 emergency shelter beds for the remainder of the fiscal
year is $200,552 or $25,069 per month.
Relocation Services
Within the first three month of initiating this service, the Office relocated 154 homeless people at an average
cost of $104.32. The subsequent demand for this service should subside somewhat because of the high
volume of people originally relocated. Once a person receives relocation assistance, he/she is no longer
eligible to receive this service in the future.
We have encountered a unique problem as a result of this service: homeless individuals from other
municipalities have attempted to access the City's relocation services. In response to this additional concern,
the Office further scrutinizes clients seeking relocation services to ascertain that only Miami Beach homeless
persons are provided with this service.
In light of past usage and the subsequent anticipated reduction in demand for this service, it is
necessary to allocate $41,464 for this service enabling the Office to serve an average of 42 homeless
persons per month for the next nine months or a total of $52,577.28 per year.
Additionally, it necessary to fund $4,360 for food to enable the provision of meals to those being
relocated.
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Additional Infrastructure Costs
The transportation of clients from outreach sites to the office, shelters and other service points is a key
logistical issue for the Office of Homeless Coordination. The existing sedan, which was a surplus vehicle at
the time of acquisition last year, has had significant down time because of repeated breakdowns. While we
have redirected an old fleet vehicle from the Log Cabin Training Center, the Office needs at least two
reliable vehicles in order to maintain service functions and the efficacy of processing clients.
As such, it is necessary to purchase a new vehicle/sedan at a cost of $13,083. The cost for vehicle
operation will be extended to the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust grant.
Many of homeless clients lack personal identification which prohibits them from access to shelter and
support services. As such, since this is a threshold barrier to ending homelessness, the Office is seeking
funds to enable the provision of identification, birth certificates and employment documents. An additional
$2,160 is necessary for the identification and replacement document costs and will enable us to serve
an average of 10 clients per month.
Expense Summary
Item/Service Expense to Date Remaining Annual Cost Unfunded Balance
(10/03 - 01/04) Projected
Expenses to
maintain 1st
Quarter Services
Levels*
............
Staffing 1 $40,445 $66,560
Shelter 2 $75,476 $200,552 $276,028 $128,584'*
Relocation Services 3 $16,065 $41,464 $57,529
, $41,464
Food for Relocations 4 $1,333
~4,360 ~,..,...... ~-.,o...,
Vehicle 5 ..... : $'i"3'~083'"'1 $i'3;'0'83 $i'3'083
' ' Idenfifiea~i0~r~ments '6 $442
.~2,160 I ~'"'""~ *",'""
i.~.T.0._T. ~.S ........................................................................ _$_ ?_3_ :_7_ _6. ~ ............................... _$_3_2_8__,_!.7_.9_. ............................... $.4_6__!_,_9_4_0 ...................................
* These areprojected amounts to maintain existing service levels from 02/02 through 09/04.
** The unfunded balance reflects $71,968 in CDBG funds which are budgeted but yet to be expended.
1 - This represents a total staff of five people (including Program Coordinator).
2 - The amount represents 41 emergency shelter beds and 5 treatment beds for a total of 46 beds.
3 - Projecting to serve an average of 42 homeless persons per month.
4 - The meals are provided solely to those clients receiving relocation services.
5 - This is the projected cost for a sedan to replace the existing vehicle that is experiencing multiple
down days each month.
6 - These funds will enable the Office to serve an average of 10 clients per month with Florida
identification cards, birth certificates and work permits.
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